A Promise is a Promise 5/22/2018

"In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us." Heb 6:17-18

  Throughout history there have been attempts to gain assurances regarding the reliability of a person's word.  We are familiar with handshakes, blood oaths and even "pinkie swears" which are popular with pre-teens today.  Biblically, it was customary to swear by someone or something greater than oneself though Christ encouraged saying simply "yes" or "no" rather than making oaths at all ( Matt 5:33-37).  But we all know what it is like to have someone make assurances and promises but fail to deliver.


Beloved we can rejoice today because we serve a God that is not subject to the fickleness and failings of men and women.  It is good to know that it is beyond His capability to lie and that therefore, He will do what He says He will do.  God has an amazing track record.  Within the context of the Hebrews passage, the Bible indicates that he made promises to Abraham but "since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself" Heb 6:13.  Remember that he promised to make an old man and his barren wife the parents of descendants as numerous as the stars.  Even we are products of that promise.

Let us then be grateful that God is true.  Let us be encouraged by the things he has promised.  Let us look forward with hope and faith to the day that the promises he has made regarding our living ever with him will come to pass.

Building God's family,

Lee